PENDLE Council scooped a silver award for a staff suggestion scheme, narrowly missing out on another top award.

The Big Idea, the name of the suggestion scheme, picked up a silver award at Ideas UK's national conference last month.

Staff have come up with more than 450 bright ideas since the launch of the scheme in 2003.

It was launched to allow staff to make suggestions about how to improve services for customers, save money and be more environmentally friendly.

The council narrowly missed out on winning Idea of the Year with the Timebank scheme, which lets staff donate unwanted holidays and flexitime to a central system for people to use when they have to take extra time off work in exceptional circum-stances.

Audrey Drinkwater, who manages the scheme, said: "Big Ideas have ranged from recycling collections for Christmas trees to a car sharing database for staff.

"It's a brilliant way for council staff to help improve how we work, and it's often the most simple things which make the biggest difference.

"Although we didn't win Idea of the Year, we're delighted to have been the only local authority on the shortlist."